PSU Assistant named to Maine Wrestling Hall of Fame

Aug 24, 2010

Jim Aguiar honored for contributions to wrestling

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The assistant coach of the
Plymouth State University wrestling team was honored for
contributions to the sport last weekend when he was inducted into
the Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame.

Jim Aguiar, who is a former head wrestling coach
at Plymouth State and a current assistant coach, was inducted in a
ceremony last Saturday in Westbrook, Maine, along with Andy Kalman
and Les Leighton. Aguiar has enjoyed success in wrestling as
both a competitor and a coach.

A two-time State Champ from Maine, Aguiar
(right) went to Boston University on a football
scholarship and was instrumental in establishing the BU wrestling
program. Aguiar served as PSU’s head wrestling coach
from 1974 to 1985 and has the program’s most wins with a
109-88-1 record.

Aguiar came to Plymouth State as the defensive coordinator for the
Panther football team in addition to serving as the head wrestling
coach. He went on to serve one season as the head football
coach posting the first winning season in five years. He
resigned to continue his graduate studies.

After completing his doctorate in education at Boston University,
Aguiar left Plymouth to become the head wrestling coach at NCAA
Division II Moorhead State (Mn). He served two years in that
role, turning around a program that had fallen on hard
times. In 1988 Dr. Aguiar accepted a teaching position at
Ithaca College. Jim retired from teaching at IC in 2003
returning to NH and quickly became reconnected to the Panther
wrestling program as an assistant coach.